Outlook: After 28 years as an assistant coach, Kyser steps into his first head coaching post with good numbers as far as returning starters. His main concern, however, is depth beyond his starting lineup.

The Cadets expect to be solid at running back and along the defensive line, and have good speed at the skill spots. Abner rushed for 710 yards and scored 11 TDs in 2011. Kyser, whose team was picked to place seventh in the TAAC, will also rely on juniors Cayden Blaisdell, Logan Brooker, Chad Champion, and Justin Grapengeter for production.

"We're pretty good with our top 10 or 11 players," Kyser said. "But we need to develop some depth, and have some people step up. We also need to stay healthy because we can't afford injuries when our roster is so thin."